21218Re: [patriotzip] Pats sign WR LaFell

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Ed Bryant

Mar 16 7:00 AM

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This is as good a time as any ask if anyone else is wondering if Cam Newton has reached out to Tom Brady in the last week!

I wasn't stunned to see that Brandon LaFell was being allowed to test the waters, until the news broke that Steve Smith was very likely to be released. The offensive line is down three guys, and Newton is losing Steve Smith AND La Fell?

So, Steve Smith is a Raven, La Fell a Patriot, and the Panthers can't rally around Captain Mummerlyn, either, because they let him go, too.

Why? Well, their former general manager left them in salary cap hell, with the result that even with the unexpected up spike in their cap number, they had to let guys go in droves.

Yesterday, the Pats and Panthers clashed in one of the best Super Bowls
ever, in a rebroadcast of a game played ten years ago. Steve Smith, Tom Brady, and Jordan Gross were the only guys in the game who played for the Panthers and Pats in 2013, and only one of them is still with their SB 38 team, the Brady guy.

Yes, the news we signed Edelman softened the blow when the Broncos signed Emmanuel Sanders, who we really needed in 2013, but look what has happened to the team which matched Sanders number last year and prevented us from benefitting from his ability to go deep. The Steelers are losing guys left and right while overpaying for a pair of safeties.

Those of you who are wondering if NE P is guilty of spreading its cap number around or of spending not enough money on players should probably not swallow the kool-aid when someone says Mike Reiss is an apologist for management. Once you've repeated that, you haven't freed up any cap money.

I am glad Edelman is back without the
rancor that arose when Welker did not come back, and I welcome La Fell, who may give us what Lloyd gave us without the apparent locker room goofiness. Everyone who craves Welker still needs to remember how little we got from Lloyd, Gronkowski, and Hernandez is 2013. If you cited stats last year about Brady's 2012 catches being 80% gone, or whatever it was, then be of good cheer, because Hoomanuwanui, Edelman, Dobson, Boyce, Vereen, and Thompkins are on the roster, and if Rodney Harrison came back so splendidly from his San Diego groin tear to be a beloved Patriot, why not give Danny Amendola another chance, gang?

The punch to the stomach of perhaps losing Vince is real, and shame on the fan who disses him because management says he's older now. If you abandoned the 2003 Patriots for the way Belichick treated Lawyer Milloy, you have my respect, but if you jumped back on the bandwagon by the time Ted Washington took a concussion
for the team on fourth down in Indy, and managed to side with New England in Super Bowl 38, then maybe it's time to give management credit for trying to put together the best team for 2014.

La Fell instead of Britt from Rutgers? Admit it: some of you thought Britt was as good as signed, with Tiquan Underwood as Plan B.

Now, La Fell can rehab the name Brandon here in New England, where Meriweather, Lloyd, and Spikes are all largely unmourned, no matter how much fans cheered for them when they done good. We do well to remember that it's entertainment cum loyalty for us, but a business for them, and the business is to outscore 19 opponents or die trying.

George was candid this week in saying he'll side with management; as for the rest of us, Jerry Seinfeld was right when he said we root for the laundry. It's good to have our team instead of some of the others. Remember the expression: "he'd look
good in a Celtics uniform?" Well, in 2014, no one will look good in a Tampa Bay uniform, but be glad Darrelle Revis won't have to try to do so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really hard to say, Frank. In numbers, LaFell is bigger; Sanders is faster. Over their 3 year careers to date, LaFell has more receptions, a better YPC average, and more TDs.

But it's very hard to compare WRs playing for different teams and QBs. These guys, IMO, are both very good 2nd level WRs. A lot will depend on how their new teams use them. I really expect both to make significant contributions.

That may seem like a cop-out, but it really is my honest opinion. It's just too close to call.

--- George

All we can hope and strive for is a system of laws and education that minimizes the natural cruelty within man; and allows for survival of the fittest in social, as well as physical and economic terms.